Iraqi security foil bombing of Shia rituals spot in Kirkuk
A dead ISIS fighter
Kirkuk (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi security forces on Thursday foiled an attempted bombing of a Shia rituals facility and killed the attacker in Kirkuk province, a commander was quoted saying.
Maan al-Saadi, an army commander in charge of the recent security campaign against remnant Islamic State cells in Kirkuk, said in a statement, quoted by Alsumaria News, that Counter-Terrorism Service forces tracked down an IS member before he managed to plant a bomb at an under-construction “Husseiniya” at the province’s center.
The suspect engaged in a firefight with the suspect before killing him, according to Saadi.
Iraq declared victory over Islamic State militants in December, ending a three-year war to retake areas occupied by the militants in 2014.
Though the government said the group’s territorial influence came to an end, the militants have launched occasional attacks against security forces and civilians, growing fears that it might still pose a security threat.
News reports have said the group had set up several ambushes in which security forces were attacked.
In mid February, the group ambushed several Popular Mobilization Forces members in Saadouniya, Kirkuk, leaving 27 dead. After the attack, Iraqi forces launched offensives to clear remnant militant cells in the province.
*correction: the article previously stated that the incident took place on Wednesday.